Permanently lubricated spring cabinet tray elevator



May' mi, R955 Fa. .1. SHELLEY 2,7@99561 FERMANENTLY LUBRICATED SPRING CABINET TRAY ELEVTOR Filed Deo. 2:5, 1952 All 2,709,561 PERMANENTLY LUBRiCATED SPRHNG CABINET TRAY ELEVATGR Robert I. Shelley, Miami, Fla. Application December 23, i952, Serial No. 327,541

2 Claims. ((l. 24S-204) This invention relates to improved bottle elevating devices in cooling cabinets such as cabinets used for beer, milk, soft drinks and the like and wherein the products are temporarily stored for cooling, and in partictr lar a substantially sealed telescoping spring housing adapted to be positioned with units in opposite sides of a cabinet with the ends secured to the cabinet, and l wherein a. tray carrying foot or shelf extends from the lower part of an outer telescoping tubular casing of each unit, and a permanent lubricator in which the spring is encased remains on the spring indefinitely.

The purpose cf this invention is to provide a telescoping support for elevating trays in a cooling cabinet in which one ot the telescoping members provides a guide for retaining tray carrying feet or shelves on the lower ends thereof in alignment.

This invention is an improvement over the tray mounting of my prior Patent No. 2,525,243 dated October 1G, i950, in that the telescoping elements are substantially sealed whereby a permanent lubricator may be retained on the spring and wherein the tray carrying toot forms an integral part ot one or" the telescoping tubes with the tube providing a guide therefor,

in a cooler for liquids, particularly in bottles and the like where bottle supporting trays are carried on springs on vertically positioned posts, the atmosphere is damp and the springs and mounting elements therefor corrode and rust rapidly. With this thought in mind this invention contemplates a telescoping tubular casing or housing positioned around the springs with the upper and lower ends substantially sealed and with an inner tube extended through the spring and housing whereby the springs may be covered with a lubricant and the lubricant protected, and wherein tray carrying elements may 'ne positioned directly on the telescoping tubes with the tubes providing guides therefor.

The object of this invention is, therefore, to provide means for constructing a telescoping tubular housing for enclosing tray supporting springs whereby the cornplete spring is permanently lubricated and protected from rust, corrosion, or deterioration and wherein the housing provides a guide for training tray carrying elements in alignment.

Another object of the invention is to provide a substantially sealed telescoping tray supporting and elevating unit that is adapted to be installed in cabinets now in use.

A further object of the invention is to provide an irnproved spring actuated telescoping tray supporting unit in which lubricant may remain permanently on a spring therein and in which the unit provides a guide for re taining tray supporting elements in alignment, in which the device is ot` a simple and economical construction.

With these and other objects and advantages in view the invention embodies an elongated tubular post or core, a lower tubular casing positioned around the core and spaced therefrom, an upper telescoping tubular casing also positioned around the core, slidably mounted over the lower casing and having a tray supporting foot on States @arent 2,799,5b'i Patented May' 3l, 1955 that shown in Fig. .l contracted and with the upper tubular casing held with a pin extended through the tubular core whereby the device is adapted to be positioned in and removed from supporting elements in a cabinet.

JFigure 3 is a side elevational view of the telescoping unit with the parts as shown in Fig. 2 and with the supporting elements omitted.

Figure fi is a sectional plan through the unit taken on line fri-4 of Fig. 2 illustrating a portion of a tray positioned on a t'oot of the upper te iescoping tube showing a locating notch in the end ot' the tray, the tray being shown in broken lines.

Referring now to the drawing wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts the improved spring actuated tray elevating unit of this invention includes a continuous rod or tubular core iti, a lower tube il, an upper telescoping tube l2, a shelf or foot i3 carried by the lower end of the tube i?. and a continuous spring M.

The lower end of the tube il is provided with a filler .i5 whereby the lower end of the tube lit is sealed around the core liti and the lower end or. the core is provided with a plug 16 whereby the lower end of the core is sealed.

The upper end of the core it) may be provided with a threaded plug l?, although it will be understood that the upper end ot the core may remain open or may be closed by suitable means.

This unit including the telescoping tubes .lll and l2 mounted on the core it) and urged toward extended positions with the spring l/l is mounted in cooling cabinets with the units aligned whereby trays may extend from one unit to another.

Trays, as indicated by the dotted lines i8, are provided with notches l@ whereby the trays are located and retained in positions on the feet 13 being freely positioned on the feet or shelves, and the trays may be removed and replaced with the tubes in extended or contracted positions, as may be desired.

ln the design illustrated in Figs. i and 2 the units are mounted on a side wall of a cabinet with the lower end of the core of each unit inserted `in an opening 2t) in a bracket or clip angle 2li and the upper end of the core it) is held in an opening 22 of a similar clip angle 23. in the design shown the supporting clip angles are secured to a side wall 2d of a cabinet with screws 25, however, it will be understood that the mounting elements may'wle secured to the wall of the cabinet by welding, soldering, praising, or other suitable means; or the lower ends of the cores may be inserted in openings in the hoor or base of the cabinet and the upper end secured in clip angles7 rails, or other parts of the cabinets.

The upper end of the upper tube i2 is closed with a washer 2e that may be braised or welded in the end of the tube and the core or tube lil is provided with an opening 27 through which a pin 28 may be temporarily placed to retain the upper tube in the position shown in Figs. 2 and 3 to facilitate inserting the unit in a cabinet or the like.

As the ends of the rods or cores 10 are secured in openings in the cabinet or inbracliets positioned' therein the pin 2S is withdrawn and the spring 14 urges the upper tube upwardly to the position shown in Fig. 1.

With the parts formed in this manner the springs are completely enclosed so that they may be coated with a permanent lubricating grease and with the spring encased in grease continuously substantially all noise is eliminated and the unit operates quietly and continuously. Furthermore, with the springs and inner surfaces of the tubes coated with grease the upper telescoping tube travels smoothly and silently on the lower tube.

This improved structure makes it possible to hold the foot or supporting element of the tray in alignment without braces or other attaching means and with the units accurately mounted in vertical positions the trays travel downwardly when bottles are positioned thereon and are elevated as the bottles are removed.

It will be understood that modiiicatiens, within the scope of the appended claims, may be made in the design and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a resilient tray supporting unit, the combination which comprises a tubular core having closures in the ends thereof, a lower tube positioned around said core, sealing means connecting the lower end of said lower tube to the core at a point spaced from the lower end of the core, an upper telescoping tube also positioned around said core and slidably mounted on said lower tube, the upper end of said upper tube having a closure therein and said core extended through said closure, a tray carrying foot integral with and extended from the lower end of the upper tube, and a spring around said core and positioned with the ends in engagement with the sealing and closure means of the lower and upper tubes, respectively, and lubricating means within said tubes about said spring.

2. ln a resilient tray supporting unit, the combination which comprises a tubular core having closures in the ends thereof, a lower tube positioned around said core, sealing means connecting the lower end of said lower tube to the core at a point spaced from the lower end of the core, an upper telescoping tube also positioned around said core and slidably mounted on said lower tube, the upper end of said upper tube having a closure therein and said core extended through said closure, a tray carrying foot integral with and extended from the lower end of the upper tube, a spring around said core and positioned with the ends in engagement with the sealing and closure means of the lower end upper tubes, respectively', grease positioned in the area between the tubular core and upper and lower tubes and said spring being substantially embedded in said grease and means engaging the ends of said core for mounting said unit in a cabinet, or the like.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,182,702 Niles May 9, 1916 1,642,367 Hand July 15, 1925 1,688,148 Martin Oct. 16, 1928 2,524,461 McDowell Oct. 3, 1950 2,525,243 Shelley Oct. 10, 1950 2,538,655 Preston Ian. 16, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 256,629 Germany Feb. 18, 1913 

